Sounders at Houston Dynamo, recap: Earn everything

I’m a bit melancholy today. It’s for reasons that have nothing to do with soccer. My emotions bleed into my writing, because I am what I am. This is Sounder at Heart. A 3-2 win is what it is. At the same point it is more. For all of the struggles of 2018, the 3-2 at Houston — the first ever regular season win at Houston — is a success.

Finding success on the road in MLS is hard. Home field advantage is essentially a 51% victory opportunity. The Seattle Sounders are unconcerned with that history. That’s something that Brian Schmetzer is clear about. Percentages do not matter. His teams do not give up. The Seattle Sounders under Brian Schmetzer do not quit. Today’s victory over the Houston Dynamo was an example of hat.

It was 3-2. But it was more than that. It was a declaration that March, April, May, and June do not matter. If you are the foolish coach that thinks those games are relevant to scouting you are wasting your time.

These are the Sounders. They do not lose. They do not falter. They are the light in darkness.

Key Moments

Maybe Chad Marshall read some reviews from other websites that suggested players who touch the ball more are better defenders. Maybe Chad Marshall read some reviews from other websites that suggested scoring and assisting could win him a post-season award.

He didn’t.

Chad Marshall doesn’t care for your assessment. Chad Marshall wins games. Chad Marshall is the best defender in the league, and sometimes he scores.

On the road tonight he scored the opener. It was the lead his team needed. It was the lead his team deserved. It was the lead that the Chad Marshall of the Year would earn.

After Chad Marshall’s goal there was no doubt that the Seattle Sounders would capture a point.

Talking Points

Three Good

• MLS Cup seeding is really good. If Seattle makes the MLS Cup Final and any team but Atlanta or Red Bull advance from the East we are celebrating on the streets of Seattle.
• Remember when set-pieces were an issue? I do. They aren’t now.
• Nicolas Lodeiro is crafty. He’s just my type. He just nabbed three assists.

Three Bad

• Seattle will often give up a goal. They will rarely give up two, as they did Sunday, but they won’t give up three. With just an average offense they will be fine.
• It’s likely that the Sounders will have to participate in the play-in round. It’s also nearly certain they will do so at home.
• Stefan Frei could still finish with a goals against average of 1.0 or less. Seriously. He gave up two goals in the second to last game of the year, and yet.

Lineups

Sounders 4-2-3-1: Stefan Frei; Nouhou (Waylon Francis 82’), Chad Marshall, Kim Kee-hee, Kelvin Leerdam; Osvaldo Alonso; Victor Rodriguez (Jordy Delem 88’), Nicolas Lodeiro (Alex Roldan 90+2’), Cristian Roldan; Raul Ruidiaz

Dynamo 4-2-3-1: Tyler Deric; DaMarcus Beasley, Kevin Garcia, Alejandro Fuenmayor, AJ DeLaGarza; Boniek Garcia, Eric Bird (Arturo Álvarez 86’) ; Romell Quioto, Tomas Martinenz, Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotos

Goals

26’ Chad Marshall (Nicolás Lodeiro)

49’ Gustav Svensson (Nicolás Lodeiro)

63’ Kevin Garcia (Óscar Boniek García)

87’ Raúl Ruidíaz (Nicolás Lodeiro)

89’ Mauro Manotas (Romell Quioto)